{ Pinterest Project - stained glass bird painting }

We all love Pinterest...let's be honest... many of us can't believe there was life before Pinterest!  I have decided to add a new feature to the Brown Bunny Blog.  Once a week I am going to attempt to do one Pinterest idea.  But I need your help.  Please submit your favorite new Pinterest ideas and projects that you would like to have me try via the comments below...if your idea is selected you will receive a small gift from Brown Bunny Flowers.  I'm hoping that if we work together this will inspire some of you to try more projects on your own!  Please leave an email address with your submission so that if your idea is selected I can contact you.  I'd also love to see your own Pinterest projects so that we can share and enjoy so please send those as well!

For my first project I selected this stained glass bird painting.  I loved it and thought this would look awesome in a play room or guest bathroom.  I used a much smaller canvas and created a gift for a friend.   But any size canvas can be used.  I buy mine on sale at Micheal's Craft store. 

1. You will need a canvas, pencil, scissors, small paint brush, Mod Podge, magazine clippings, cream or taupe acrylic paint, wood stain, gold or bronze acrylic paints (optional).  {$, approximately 1 hour over the course of 3+ days, skill level 2 on a scale of 1-5} You can do it!

2. cut out different images from your favorite magazines.  Cut sizes that are somewhat relative to your canvas size.  Apply Mod Podge to your canvas in small batches and "glue" your magazine clippings.  Carefully make sure they are really flat and have as few bubbles and creases as possible.  Overlap your clippings until you have covered the entire canvas.  Let dry overnight.

3. Next decide on your image. I found a picture of a bird on a branch that I liked in a magazine and cut it out. Find a sheet of paper, wrapping paper or newspaper that will fit the size of your canvas to use as a template for your drawing. Draw the image you want on your "tracing" paper and then cut out the image.  You can draw anything you want...an owl, flower, branches, silhouettes would all work...use your imagination.  Lay your "cut out" on top of the collage and trace with a pencil or light colored marking pen.  Be carefull that you don't use black or dark color to trace as this will "bleed" through your cream paint later. At this point you may need to adjust your drawing.  Mine had too many flower petals on it originally so I just cut them off.

4.  Take your cream or taupe paint and paint all over your canvas up to the lines from your drawing.  Leaving the magazine collage exposed and all of the area around it painted. Let dry overnight.

5.  Take your wood stain (I buy mine at our local hardware store and used Walnut color but a lighter color might work better).  Lightly brush on a small section of stain and wipe and rub off with a paper towel or old rag.  Rub along all edges of canvas as well.

6. If you would like to add interest to the painting rub on a bit of either gold or bronze  paint or both in my case.  I choose 3 spots on my canvas to highlight with a bit of "shimmer".





{ DIY Terrariums and Cloches }

It's official...Spring is here.  To celebrate the arrival of this season I organized a special project for my bible study group.  We worked together to create mini terrarium's that we gave away as gifts.

These terrariums are easy to assemble, not very expensive and so pretty.  Wide containers are a bit easier for this project but any container that will hold dirt and water will work.  For my samples I used a clear salad bowl, trifle bowl, mason jars and vases.   Small plants work best - scale is important.

If you would like to make a centerpiece or something pretty for your windowsill you might want to consider adding a glass cloche to your terrarium collection.  Cloches or clear bell domes are glass domes traditionally used to warm soil.  They are quite popular right now to highlight small collections or to cover special miniature plants.  I found mine at an antiques store.  If you want to try a DIY cloche chose any type of glass vase - turn it upside down and glue a decorative bauble on top.  For oneof my DIY cloches I glued a bright green drawer pull to a standard rose bowl.

Under my antique glass cloche I decorated for Easter using a plastic child's lamb with a small "lambs ear" plant and moss.  The plant is potted in a small votive candle holder.

For our small terrariums we used several sizes of mason jars.  If you'd like to make your own first add a thin layer of small pebbles to the bottom this helps collect water.  Next, add about an inch of potting soil.  Then select small flowers to plant in each - for our mason jars only 1 flower fit in each jar.  (For my larger bowls and vases about 3 plants fit into each.)  Use a small spoon to add a bit of soil around your flower - so that all the small roots are covered.  To finish each jar we used small paint brushes to "dust" the flower and to clean the inside of the jar.  Add cute ribbons and tags to personalize your gift.  You may want to add care instructions - terrarium needs a light spritz or a tablespoon of water about two times a week.

The ladies did a wonderful job decorating their gift tags with rubber stamps and cute ribbons.

{ yes you can - rope vase } tuesday july 10

Welcome Friends!  Today I am starting a new weekly topic called, "Yes You Can"!  This is going to be about fun stuff that you can do yourself.  So even if I can't be with you at home, I can encourage you to try new stuff here.  Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.  I saw this cool idea on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens earlier this summer.  Rope covered vases -- I loved them and new I had to try it. 

{ calla lily leaves and orange verbena from my yard }

To make rope vases - use heavy twine - mine was purchased at Lowe's.  For mine I used vases with skinny necks that I bought at a second hand store.  Start twine at bottom of vase - using hot glue start wrapping vase with twine close together - add glue as needed.  I was surprised how much twine it took so maybe buy an extra spool just in case.

Tin container with gravel holds a collection of various candles and votive's.  I think these candles would shine really cool at night against the tin.  Lemonaide at dusk anyone?